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Monday, April 30, 2018

What?! This is just my second review of the year?! Yes, even I am so sad!!! I have been so busy with work as of late, that even if I wanted to, I just couldn't keep blogging activities at usual pace (that of course includes reviews). I'm actually still working double time on my flatlay backlog, so I'm really sorry for the inactivity in the past few months. I really feel so bad about it!

In dealing with all these backlogs, for the past month, or even longer, I have been spending long hours in my hot work room writing, shooting, and editing. I do have an AC unit in my work room, but given that it's soooo hot 24/7, it's just not possible to open the AC for all the times it's hot. Our electricity bill would skyrocket if I tuned it on all the time! In short, I think it's safe to say that after 3 weeks of using Cream Silk's Fresh Hydration conditioner in such conditions, it's safe enough to give a verdict now.

Of course, off the bat, this is an exciting addition to the family for Elisse and McLisse fans alike. Though this is a limited edition item, this is promising because this is Elisse Joson's first hair endorsement as far as I know, and for your first endorsement to be Cream Silk, it sure does feel good. For die hard fans, and for mortals like me enthralled by her goddess like beauty, this is hopefully a good sign that we'll be seeing more of her in Cream Silk product stickers and tubes once the limited edition run of this conditioner is up.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Women are making great
strides and breaking free from outdated gender roles. In this world of accomplishment,
the pressure to conform with society’s limited definition of success can be
incredibly demanding. There is no shame in
breaking free from what’s expected and normal. To live an authentic life, a
woman must be true to herself first and take courage to pursue her passions.

As the company for women, Avon supports women in embracing the importance of living a truthful life
and being comfortable in your own skin. Avon Fashions disrupts the meaning of
“comfort zone” from being one’s safe place and redefines it as the place where
every woman’s true passions and purpose begin. To celebrate this theme, Avon
Fashions turns the spotlight on five inspiring Filipinas who have boldly
defined their own success and found purpose in their cause.

Filipina supermodel
and actress Wilma Doesnt tells all
about finding her niche in modeling and how she inspires women to live life
despite the judgment they might face.
Actress Alice Dixson defines “living life in
your own terms,” as she shares her thoughts on defining her own pace and the
importance of staying in your element.

Host Tricia Centeñera talks about bouncing
back from a failed marriage and how she was able to create a new and fulfilling
life for herself after.

Weightlifter and Olympic Silver Medalist Hidilyn Diaz shares the
struggles of being a woman in her sport and the hindrances she faced before
achieving glory.

Actress and single mom
Jennylyn Mercado candidly speaks
about the hardships of raising a child alone and finding comfort in taking on
multiple roles in life. She says, “I
believe that all women deserve to enjoy who they truly are, because no one else
can define that for us.”
Check out the campaign video here!

Step into the comfort
zone of what fills your heart is Avon Fashion’s bold invitation and with a
range of intimate apparel that provides women with the stylish comfort they
deserve, women can easily focus on the things that truly matter. Each bra is
designed with the Filipina body in mind, ensuring that it fits her body not
just flawlessly but comfortably. Our finished creations undergo rigorous
testing to make sure that it can keep up with even the most demanding of
lifestyles.

Avon Fashions Intimate
Apparel now calls on all women to confidently walk the path they’ve always
wanted to walk, to play the role they’ve always wanted to play, and to
ultimately define their own success. In the words of Avon Philippines’
Executive Director for Commercial Marketing Agnieszka Isa, “At the heart of Avon’s work is a passion to create a world with more
empowered women—whether through business, beauty, or well-being. Through this
new Avon Fashions Intimate Apparel campaign, we hope to inspire women to break
free from unreasonable societal constraints and become whoever they want to
be.

Friday, April 20, 2018

Happy 5th Anniversary to me!!! Woohooo!!! This blog is officially 5 years old today!

It actually feels so surreal to be typing this down. When I started this blog in 2013, I didn't really have concrete expectations I'd do it until now. I had just come from makeup school and had wanted to offload AALLLLL the photos we took of our models somewhere. Just so the photos wouldn't be lying around in my computer. But well, there is a backstory to this backstory.

You see, I've been an avid reader of blogs since 2008, and somehow, at the back of my mind, I had always wanted to have my own blog. Back then, as you all are also aware of, it was sooo expensive to have equipment. Phone cameras were also still a source of fascination at that point. 10 years ago, I didn't really take the idea of becoming a blogger myself seriously because it just cost so much money back then. I took the makeup junkie part more seriously, as it was somehow more affordable as my sister used to work for a fashion magazine and got lots of free makeup as a result.

Truth be told, I was waaay wilder with makeup 10 years ago than now. I always had a full face of makeup on complete with false eyelashes. 2018 Mari is still fascinated with how 2008-2010 era Mari was able to pull off false lashes almost all the time.

Fast forward to 2013, that a brand that I really liked held a makeup tutorial contest. I was reaaaally so obsessed over it. I spent so much money to buy makeup of that brand, as the contest required you to use only that brand. I filmed for several hours using my brother's camera, then edited for days. At that point I had edited some school project videos and had some idea of video editing. I dreamt of winning the contest and winning free items from that brand for a year. I loved the brand so much that it really felt like the ultimate dream to be winning a whole year's worth of makeup from them. I thought that that would be THE great jumpstart to the top, to a successful blogging career, and then happily ever after. But then, you may wonder, now, how come there isn't any tutorial anywhere? That was because my tutorial didn't even make it past elimination. I was honestly so heartbroken, thinking that I had worked so hard and done a good job only for the video to not make it past elimination.

Remembering that video, I laugh so hard at how I thought that such a poorly produced video and such horrible makeup could pass an elimination for a makeup tutorial contest. But at the time, I took it in hard. As someone who was admired for makeup skills and knowhow in my circles, it was a real blow. I deleted the video out of being so upset, much to my regret now, but I can tell you that it just wasn't good. But from that defeat, I used the experience to realize that maybe I wasn't good with makeup and needed to improve. That's why I enrolled in makeup school. And then the rest is history (?)

From that point until now, there are many things that have changed. I learned and grew so much in photography and videography. I'm still not good at these things today, but compared to 2013, I made a big leap. Being a blogger is the ultimate entrepreneurial exercise, and from that point until now, I learned so much about how PR works and how this industry works. I used to be clueless over how press releases work, concepts of quid pro quo, and basically, everything. I didn't take up journalism in college, and I also didn't work for the press, which is why I slowly learned how press and media work in action by myself.

Even though I didn't ask for it, I've witnessed a lot about the evils of people with the abuse I have gone through. A lot of things were eye opening to a naive me. Years ago, I used to be hungry for each and every opportunity. I wanted this, that, this, that, without really thinking about what the implications would be for me in the long run. I have experienced a fair share of abuse throughout the years from some unscrupulous brands, that I have learned to keep an eye on things more. Back then, I used to pray for each and every door to open. But now, when I pray, I always pray that if a door will lead to bad, then keep it shut forever. Although people expect me to have learned my worth from all the abuse and to value myself more, I don't really think that way. I learned the hard way from various work experiences that no matter how much worth you have, to the wrong or abusive people, it's still not enough. It's important to spend more time on the people who see your worth and to cease wasting time on the people who don't. That's something that really comes up to mind when people ask me what I've learned or how I've changed.

But of course, some things don't change. It's been 5 years of having a rookie mindset and I intend to continue to do so. In my whole life, it was my grit and guts that got me to places, and will take me to more places in the future.

Finally, to those who are wondering, I chose to take this kind of photo last night because it's what's real. In reality, to shoot that much beauty products and flatlays over the years, it's very messy. I mean I do tidy up and organize and then reorganize. But when I shoot things, it really gets messy. I work late nights, spend countless of hours editing things, and I often don't have a sense of time. The lights are hot, which is why I'm just in whatever clothes I have on, and usually without makeup, because I'll sweat and get dirty anyways. My legs and back always hurt because of all the bending and squatting I do when shooting things. It's the exact opposite of glamorous.

The biggest irony perhaps is that it's actually really unglamorous to be a beauty blogger. No one really tells you that behind all the cutesy flatlays and makeup shots. But obviously, of course, I wouldn't have stayed around for this long if I don't love what I do.

Monday, April 16, 2018

From
left to right: Tina Ampil, L’Oréal Philippines General Manager for Human
Resources; Team C^3: Coleen Chua, Caitlin
Yu, and Clarice Tee; and Thibault de Saint Victor, L’Oréal Philippines Country
Manager

12 April 2018-L’Oréal once again hosts Brandstorm – its signature global innovation
competition for students. This
year, in partnership with L’Oréal Professional Products, students from
all over the Philippines were presented with the challenge of innovating the
customer experience for the professional salon of the future. Started in 1992 and present in 60 countries, Brandstorm is one of the largest student competitions in
the world. Locally, L’Oréal Philippines has mounted the annual
business competition since 2009. In its 10th year in the
Philippines, Brandstorm 2018 surpassed last year’s 1,500 sign-ups for its first
nationwide run, and mounts the second highest Brandstorm application record in the world; this
year’s competition boasts of more than 3,570 players from over 30 universities
from all over the country!!!

“Since going nationwide in 2017, we
are very happy to see growth in the number students joining the competition and
are looking forward to sustain this in the coming years. L’Oréal’s goal has
always been to encourage and hone such diversity of talent and reach as many
students as possible,” shares Jake Bustos, L’Oréal
Philippines Talent Acquisition Manager.

From more than 1,100 teams, only 24 moved
forward to the semi-finals last March 1. The top 8 teams were then subsequently
selected to battle it out in the National Finals held in Marco Polo Hotel in
Ortigas last April 12.

Out of the 8 National finalists, Team C^3 from
UP Diliman successfully took home the championship with a ticket to Paris to
represent the country in the L’Oréal international Finals as they compete with
other students all over the world.

When asked about the whole experience, the team
shares, “L’Oréal Brandstorm pushed the limits of innovation by encouraging us
to think outside the box. It was a never-ending process of researching and
revising our case, until we were completely satisfied with it. With winning
this year's competition, we are excited to fulfill our dream to represent the
country in the L’Oréal Brandstorm Worldwide Finals in Paris, France.”

Following suit are Team Bellus from University
of the Philippines Visayas (1st runner up) and Team Tala from De La
Salle University-Manila (2nd runner up). Both teams win cash prizes
and products for their mentors.

The final list of the L’Oréal 2018 National Finalists were as follows: Team C^3 from University of the Philippines – Diliman
(National Champions), Team Bellus from
University of the Philippines – Visayas (1st Runner up), Team Tala from
De La Salle University – Manila (2nd Runner up), Team L’Ocked In
from De La Salle University - Manila, Team LoREALTalk
from Ateneo de Manila University, Team RegSteffiJe
from University of the Philippines – Diliman, Team Totally L’Oréal
from University of the Philippines – Diliman, Team TS1 from
University of the Philippines – Diliman

“L’Oréal Brandstorm
has always stood as an innovation-incubator for some of the most
promising talents in the industry. It is always inspiring to see what students come up with with their
fresh perspectives and forward-looking insights” shares
Tina Ampil, L’Oréal Philippines General Manager for Human Resources

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Anne Curtis is probably the most popular fangirl of everything Korean, and arguably the prettiest. But it’s not just the Korean film and TV
artistry that’s captured her heart. Like most beauty junkies, she’s long
been captivated by the unique K-beauty sensibilities, which are very much
aligned with Anne’s whole philosophy of uncomplicated beauty. Think: Fresh,
dewy face, all-natural flush, dreamy eyes, and juicy lips. The signature Korean
look is simple, beautiful, and effortless—synonymous with what blk stands
for.This is
precisely why for the brand’s latest release, Anne has decided to combine two
of her biggest passions to create a groundbreaking collection that’s sure fulfill
the whims and fantasies of both beauty lovers and Korean fanatics, and even
everyone in between. Introducing the blk cosmetics Limited
Edition K-Beauty Collection! Meet your
Anne-approved Korean cosmetics line: a collection of five makeup must-haves
that’s guaranteed to let you nail that K-style look with ease. The exclusive collection includes:

blk BB + CC
Cream Stick with Brush (Php449)

blk Intense
Color Liquid Eye Shadow (Php299)

blk All-Day
Lip and Cheek Water Tint (P249)

blk Creamy Sheek Paint (Php349)

blk All-Day Intense Matte Lipstick (Php299)

AND LOOK AT THIS!!!

Apart from the individual products,
blk cosmetics is also releasing a K-Beauty Starter Kit containing the blk BB + CC Cream Stick with
Brush, the blk
Intense Color Liquid Eye Shadow, and the blk All-Day Lip and Cheek Water Tint. Get all of these for just Php997 when you shop at Lazada ASAP!!! You can also snag these K-beauty favorites at BLK Cosmetics' TriNoma boutique store, Zalora, BeeautyMNL, and at their Watsons and SM Beauty counters.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

L’Oréal’s Beauty For a Better Life
has since completed one full year of training of three batches of
beneficiaries. Placing
beauty at the heart of re-building identities and lives, and created to ignite
long-term social impact, many of those who benefit from L’Oréal’s Beauty
For a Better Life are women in vulnerable social or
economic situations. Since its launch, beneficiaries from the Philippines has
been given an opportunity to go into jobs and even own businesses in the field
of hairdressing.

Led by the L’Oréal
Foundation and implemented in 27 different countries across the world, Beauty
For a Better Life is one of the Foundation’s key programs to help women (and in
some cases, men) in vulnerable situations regain a renewed sense of dignity and
allow them better chances for livelihood opportunities.The program was first brought to Brgy. Sto.
Niño in Marikina as one of the
priority areas for unemployment.

To date, 62 individuals have completed the
program, 22 of which come from the third batch that graduated this April 2018. Each batch of beneficiaries underwent daily classroom sessions in the
Barangay Hall for three months wherein they were taught different hairdressing
skills such as customer service, blowdrying, haircoloring, haircutting, rebonding,
and application of hair treatments – under the tutelage of L’Oréal Philippines
hair professionals. They were also exposed to a one-week internship in
L’Oréal’s partner salons across Metro Manila to expose them to actual
hairdressing jobs and potentially further their career options.

Plaque of
Appreciation and a class photo of all 62 graduates for Barangay Sto. Niño
to Barangay Captain, Rizaldy Josef.

"We believe in the power of beauty to change lives, and Beauty For a Better Life expands the
definition of beauty by using it a way to provide skills and livelihood
opportunities to those most in need. A renewed sense of self-confidence,
diginity and motivation are fundamental changes that we see in our graduates
and it is our hope and vision that Beauty For a Better Life empowers these women to gain a better of life
through livelihood opportunities,” shares Carmel Valencia, L’Oréal Philippines
Corporate Communication Manager.

April 3 signaled a new chapter for the program as it
celebrated all the beneficiaries from Brgy.
Sto. Niño including the
latest set of graduates and also give way for the turning over of the program
to a new barangay in Marikina.“It is truly heartwarming to see the hope that the program has brought
about to the lives of the women (and men) of Brgy. Sto. Niño. For the next cycle of Beauty For
a Better Life, we are hoping that we will
also open opportunities to individuals from Brgy. Jesus Dela Peña and continue our advocacy of changing lives through beauty,” concludes Ms. Valencia.

Monday, April 09, 2018

ICYMI! Maybelline New York dropped its collaboration collection with none other than its very own global
IT girl, Gigi Hadid. Since then, it has disrupted the global and local makeup
industry with millions of girls obsessed over every product in the collection. Our own it girls Alexa Ilacad and Gabbi Garcia went to see the Gigi Hadid in Japan awhile back! Here's what they had to share:

Alexa: I was so excited when I got my
very own Gigi collection from Maybelline last year—I swatched EVERYTHING immediately!
I got hooked. And now to actually meet the Maybelline girl behind this amazing collection
in Tokyo? My 2018’s already made!

Gabbi: I’m still not over it! Getting to know Gigi plus the whole
team behind the makeup collection and
learning from the best in the industry really made this trip one of the most
unforgettable opportunities I’ve had.

Monday, April 02, 2018

This is Watsons Love The Sun event held at SM MOA last March 8, or Women's Day. I find the date of the event to be very apt, because when it comes to self care, we have this whole list of processed. From whitening treatments, spa sessions, facials, and all that, every woman has her own concept of self care. But realistically, sun care is such an integral part of self care. AFAIK, our ozone layer has only started to stabilize a bit as of late, but still, it doesn't dismiss the existing damage it has suffered. There's still a big ozone layer hole, and we really need to be on the defensive and to take sun care very seriously.

Honestly, one misconception that we usually have is that we only need sunscreen during the summer or during outings. But I've learned that every body part that gets exposed to the sun even for a short period of time needs sunscreen every single day. This year, even though I technically have shunned the concept of new year's resolutions, I vowed to pay more attention to sun care. I placed all the sunscreens I have in my dresser, such that when I get ready each day, it'll be automatic to me to pick up the sunscreen and to apply liberally on my face and all body parts that will not be covered by clothes.

The Blogger

Mari is a random human who likes cats, makeup, and having an online playground. Doll Up Mari is the place where you, ehem, doll up Mari. This is a Pinay beauty blog run by a citizen living in the Philippines who is still looking for a less grand term than Pinay Beauty Guru to refer to herself.

Mari is still figuring out how to use a management degree while drowning in kitty fur and can work part time as a PR strategist aside from her meow-my duties.